13 Mink Street

“Have you read the Code of Order?”

“I have.”

Ever since learning that the Light of Order and the Code of Order were not mythological tales but educational works, Karon had carefully read them several times while still living on Mink Street.

“Can you recite it in full?”

“Not yet, but I will seriously work on memorizing it.”

The Code of Order was a very thick volume, similar in size to a dictionary. Even reading through it once took a long time. Memorizing it would truly be a massive undertaking, but if it was relevant to his future work and advancement, Karon was willing to exert the effort.

“Oh, there’s no need to memorize the whole thing. We’re not like those pedants from the Church of Principle.”

“Hm?”

“We ourselves only skim it. Hardly anyone memorizes it. It’s enough to have a rough idea in your head.”

“That’s allowed?”

“Mhmm. Sometimes when we say, ‘According to the Code of Order, Volume whatever, Chapter whatever,’ we don’t even remember it ourselves, so we just make it up.”

“You can do that...”

“It’s enough as long as you know it in your heart. In any case, you can always go back and look through the book afterward to patch it up. Because if even we don’t memorize it, then other people definitely won’t either, and they won’t be able to correct you. You just need to be certain that the other party’s behavior violates the Code of Order.

“The Code of Order was originally prepared for the people of other churches. It is the set of restraints jointly established by the Church of Order and the other churches.”

“I understand, Captain. This time it was my oversight. Next time I will directly cite the Code of Order to them.”

“Oh, this time was not your oversight.” Nio took out a gun and placed it beside Karon’s meal tray. “You deliberately fired shots to lure them into the woods.”

“I was afraid that if I exposed my identity as someone from the Church of Order, it would affect your operation, Captain.”

“Mhmm. While that may indeed have been part of your reason, I think there’s a greater possibility that you did not want the way you killed them to be exposed.”

“...” Karon said nothing.

No matter how well one might conceal things, in front of a truly intelligent person, flaws would inevitably appear. In fact, even if the concealment was flawless, that in and of itself might end up as the biggest flaw in the eyes of another.

Nio did not even need to listen to Karon’s explanation or analyze the so-called evidence. He only had to look once, and he could feel the truth in his heart, just like an experienced old policeman looking at a thief. Even before anything was stolen, he would already sense that the thief was about to steal.

“Quite interesting.” Nio chuckled. “The first bullet should have pierced the car door and hit one of them, because there was blood on the ground. The next few shots were all aimed at the windshield, but were blocked by an Art. More interestingly, you even emptied the rest of your magazine into the thing they summoned. You didn’t know that’s useless? You knew. You even threw the gun away, afraid they wouldn’t go after you.”

Karon silently continued cutting his chicken filet.

“Why would you have such thoughts?” Nio’s fingers lightly tapped on the table. “You seemed very eager to fight them. Did you recently learn some new Arts?”

Karon placed the cut pieces of chicken into his mouth one by one.

“You don’t need to be nervous.”

“Captain, I’m not nervous. I feel like I’ve already... grown somewhat used to this.”

“Do you know why my squad has never been able to get promoted?”

“I heard that earl say it was because of your relationship with Miss Elisa...”

“That is one reason. Another is that my subordinates were either pulled out of Whip of Order prisons, or I cleaned up their identities to turn them from fugitives into members of Whip of Order. Each and every one of them has secrets, so my squad, from me as the captain down to every individual member, is filthy.”

Karon had just picked up the soda beside him for a drink. Hearing those words, he nearly spat it out.

“I originally thought that the person Inquisitor Pavaro selected should be very clean. I even thought that perhaps you would become a second Inquisitor Pavaro. Then, after joining us, you might improve the reputation of my squad a bit. With everyone being pitch black, it gets a bit too monotonous.”

Karon was now certain that Captain Nio had not chosen him through some casual arrangement of a a random plastic informant. He truly had done it out of respect for Inquisitor Pavaro, like some old recommendation system. Karon’s own identity had been endorsed by Inquisitor Pavaro.

So that strand of hair... Was it retied by that lady after she opened the envelope?

For the captain to have such a meticulous thought process, having a secretary with a similar sort of obsessive attention to detail suddenly seemed quite normal.

“But I seem to have been mistaken, though that doesn’t really matter anymore. In any case, it is practically becoming a tradition in my squad.”

A polite, cooperative smile appeared on Karon’s face.

“For the time being, you are still only an attached member. The higher-ups are extremely strict with my personnel allotment, because they also know the sort of places I like to recruit from.”

“Understood, Captain.”

“I will not pry into the secrets of my subordinates, but...” Nio pointed outside. “Since you are more capable than I originally expected, perhaps in the future I will reach out to you to participate in some missions. Of course, for now, go visit your relatives and see your girlfriend. Any assignments will definitely wait until after you return to York City.”

“No problem, Captain.”

“In recent years, on one hand the church itself has begun to decay, and its own grip has started to weaken. On the other hand, the broader climate is changing. I have heard that even Light vermin can now receive some guidance through damaged divine artifacts, even if they can’t quite receive an oracle.

“Of course, there are other reasons as well, but I will not go into them in detail. In short, it is expected that for some time to come, friction between the church and other forces will intensify, because they no longer fear and respect the church the way they used to.

“The higher-ups have clearly noticed this problem too, which is why transferring my squad into York City was not merely because the Zeric case created an empty slot. There are many Whip of Order squads in the York City district, but they have been comfortable for too long. In my eyes, they are like a flock of ducks used to frolicking in clear streams. In peaceful times, the Whip of Order is mainly responsible for internal supervision, but in turbulent times, the Whip of Order is responsible for lashing the outside world, making them see clearly what true Order really is.

“This is a very good opportunity. My squad has been silent for far too long. Now that we have finally been brought onto the stage, I believe those little ducks will have no power to compete in front of us, because we are hounds.”

“Yes, Captain!” Karon put on a show of being deeply inspired and instantly filled with confidence for the future!

Nio rose to his feet. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly asked, “The white roses, have they been planted?”

“They will be planted today. Tomorrow, when you go see Miss Elisa, Captain, you will be able to smell the flowers.” Karon had already instructed Alfred, who remained in York City, to handle that detail. He had also been told to deliver some food to Old Saman, the cemetery groundskeeper. Karon believed Alfred would definitely carry out his tasks perfectly.

Nio nodded and walked out of the diner. Very soon, he vanished outside.

Karon asked for a to-go bag and packed up some of the food on his tray that he had not touched. He then stood and also strolled out of the diner.

Marlow and Zema were still standing in the parking lot in police uniforms, smoking and completely ignoring the No Smoking sign not far away by the gas station. Seeing Karon come out, Marlow smiled and asked, “Come on, let’s guess. Did the captain tell you the little ducks and hounds story too?”

“Uh...” Karon.

Zema swayed slightly, pulled out a cigarette, and handed it to Karon. Then he said, “The captain has two great hobbies. One is handing out plastic rings. My guess is that he must have custom-ordered a whole box from a toy factory, because one time, I accidentally snapped mine and, feeling guilty, ran over to tell him. He scolded me for not cherishing it properly, then gave me a small box of them.

“His other hobby is repeatedly telling us, ‘Oh, we are hounds, they are all little ducks. The other Whip of Order squads are all little ducks, the higher-ups are a flock of ducks, and the other churches are also ducks.’ As if the entire world, apart from us, is made up only of little ducks that can do nothing but quack.”

Marlow pulled out a lighter and lit the cigarette for Karon. Karon did not mention that he had quit smoking, but instead cupped a hand around the flame as it was lit.

“Isn’t he even more interesting than Captain?” After lighting Karon’s cigarette, Marlow let out a shrill imitation and cried, “‘Oh dear, Officer, they were the ones trying to rob me!’ Hahaha!”

“Hahahaha.” Zema doubled over laughing.

Karon laughed along with them.

“But you should be careful. The others hurried off after eating to escort the Church of Abyss prisoners back to the city, but Paige knows we’ve got a new member now. She’s very interested in you.”

“Interested in me?”

“Mhmm, because the captain told her you’re very handsome and that he recruited you in order to solve her personal marriage problem.”

“Uh...”

“So where are you headed next?” Zema asked.

“...To my girlfriend’s house.”

“Your girlfriend lives in the countryside?”

“Mhmm. Her family conditions aren’t very good.”

“Oh ho, I think Paige is going to go mad. She even thanked the captain for this.”

“It’s fine. Paige should already be used to it by now.”

“No, this time she probably won’t be able to get used to it, because our new member really is very handsome, just a tiny bit less than me.”

“Alright, you should get going. See you next time.”

“See you next time.” Karon gave them a slight bow. Marlow and Zema both shifted aside, and Karon got into the car and handed the takeaway bag to Kevin and Pu’er in the back. “Eat a little first. There is still some distance left before Allen Manor.”

“So this is the Whip of Order squad you were talking about?”

“Yes.”

“They are rather elite. Those two dressed as police officers, I even suspect they are already at the Inquisitor rank.”

“That exaggerated?” Karon asked.

“I could tell from the Arts they casually used earlier while checking the car. Besides, that isn’t actually too exaggerated. Ranks, tiers, and combat strength have always been all over the place, and all churches are like that. Compared to that, the family faith system is actually a better reference.”

“I could feel it. When I killed those two from the Church of Abyss, it felt... very easy.”

“Oh, nonsense. The Sea God’s Armor and the Darkmoon Blade are both advanced Arts. They aren’t circulated outside at all, and you learned them at a lower rank. Most importantly, you had the two of us imprinting them for you. By the time the process passed through us, we already helped to break down the steps for you. Otherwise, you would have needed to sit by the sea to comprehend the tides or sit atop a mountain to admire the moon.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank us. You protected us too, didn’t you?”

“Heh, the feeling of protecting you was very good.”

Well then, they had definitely peeked at his notebook.

***

By the time Karon drove up to Allen Manor, it was already dusk. His car was stopped at the outer perimeter by a team of bodyguards. After they sent word in, permission was quickly granted, and Karon saw Master Anderson standing at the manor’s entrance with Mike to welcome him.

Before Karon could even get out of the car, the two men eagerly got into the car themselves. They directed him farther along, and had him park behind the manor.

“Young Master Karon, welcome back to your manor to rest.” Master Anderson bent low as he spoke.

Mike, behind his father and sitting in his wheelchair, also lowered his head.

“Where is Mr. Bede?” Karon asked.

“He... He went out with a gentleman by the name of Piaget, telling me it was at your instructions.”

“Mhmm.” Karon accepted the blame upon his own shoulders for his future father-in-law. “Mr. Mike, how is your health now?”

“To answer you, Young Master, after the treatment you provided me last time, I have now broken through to Tier-4 or our family faith system, and I’ve stabilized there.”

“Congratulations.”

Of the three brothers, Mike had originally been the most talented. Had things not gone wrong when he had attempted to follow in their progenitor’s footsteps, he should have reached Tier-4 long ago. It was precisely because Pu’er recognized the man’s relatively outstanding talent among the few members of the family that she had been willing to spend any effort treating him.

“It is all due to your blessing, Young Master.”

“Tomorrow, I will have to trouble you to guide me with a little combat training, Mr. Mike.”

“Uh... Yes, Young Master. It would be my honor.”

“Oh, right, Master Anderson.”

“Young Master, your orders?”

“On Second Street in the commercial district where Santor Tower is in York City, there is a place by the name of Lemar Pottery Studio. You can send someone to discuss terms with the owner to offer him a materials supply channel.”

“Yes, I will send someone to make contact immediately.”

“Mhmm. Alright, if there’s nothing else...?”

“Young Master, there is one more matter. Since the Raphael family has been wiped out...” At this point, Master Anderson’s lips unconsciously curled slightly upward a little. There were few things more delightful than waking up one day to learn that a rival family had suddenly been completely exterminated. “So while the Allen family has taken back several workshops, I privately made the decision not to seize and swallow all of them, and instead abandoned some of them.”

“Mhmm. You can oversee business matters yourself.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“I’m going in now.” Karon pointed at the manor, and carried the gift box inside.

“Father, your choice back then was absolutely right,” Mike said reflectively.

“Yes.” Master Anderson nodded.

The Allen Manor of old had needed to hide the strength of its family members and use bluffing to deceive the Raphael family. Even Bede, their patriarch, had been publicly known to be a powerhouse of the family faith system.

However, with the Raphael family gone, and the next generation of the Allen family, including Borg, Judia, and his own granddaughter Eunice, had all shown astonishing talent. In another five or ten years, the family would no longer need to worry much about their middle ranks. Their period of decline had been endured.

“Meow.”

At that moment, Pu’er also emerged from the car, riding on Kevin. Seeing her in her hood and bowtie, Master Anderson and Mike immediately lowered their heads and bowed again.

However, Pu’er had no interest in acknowledging them. She merely lifted a paw and pointed ahead.

“Meow! Meow!” (Stupid dog, the kitchen!)

“Woof!”

***

As Karon was climbing the stairs, he stopped when he saw Borg running up from below. At a certain age, after not seeing a child for a while, you could clearly tell he had grown taller.

“Young Master, you’ve returned.”

“Mhmm. Have you been well lately?”

“Very well, but I want to serve at your side, Young Master.”

“Your current task is to train properly. Once you reach Tier-3 in the family faith system, you may come to my side and help.”

“Yes, Young Master. I will work hard.”

“Mhmm. Where is Judia?”

“She’s been living at the cemetery the whole time. She has a little house there and spends every day guarding Earl Rekar’s grave. I take her food and drink every day. Should I call her over to see you, Young Master?”

“No need.” Karon had little interest in the little girl who liked eating boneless chicken feet.

At that moment, Karon walked to Eunice’s bedroom door, where several maids were standing outside.

“All of you, go downstairs.” Borg stepped forward and said this.

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

The maids all left, and Borg also followed them downstairs. Karon pushed open the bedroom door and walked in. Eunice was lying on the bed, asleep. She wore a black nightdress and was covered with a blanket. She wore no makeup, but her refinement needed no cosmetic burden. Moreover, perhaps because her bloodline was still awakening, there was an added air of grace and nobility to her.

Karon placed her gift on the desk and sat down on the nearby sofa. He noticed a book on the tea table. It was actually Time in Slumber again. Back home, he had idly flipped through this book in the study when bored, but for Eunice, it clearly carried a more special resonance.

Karon then noticed that there was a basket under the tea table, and inside it lay an almost completed wallet, with only a few decorative clasps left unfinished. The leather was silver-white gray. It was impossible to tell what material it was, but when he touched it, it felt somewhat cool, very comfortable.

Opening it, he found that inside was a photograph of Eunice herself.

Karon smiled. He looked at Eunice, still fast asleep. He did not know whether or not he loved her, but each time he told others that he had a girlfriend, that he had a fiancée, he felt rather good, because he was a person who feared loneliness.

After sitting in the room for a while, Karon decided to finish reading his unfinished book. He picked up Time in Slumber and opened it, only to find a passage written on the title page:

I don’t know whether I love him, but I feel that in this little stretch of time that belongs to me each day, having someone I can think about is a kind of happiness.